


Brísingr

by HysteriaLevi



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-13 10:33:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28652064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HysteriaLevi/pseuds/HysteriaLevi
Summary: After learning about his father’s plans to arrange a marriage between him and Randvi, Sigurd decides to leave the clan behind and convinces Eivor to run away with him.
Relationships: Eivor/Sigurd Styrbjornson, Sigurd Styrbjornson/Eivor Wolfkissed, Sigurd Styrbjornson/Eivor Wolfsmal, Sigurd Styrbjornson/Male Eivor
Comments: 4
Kudos: 73





	Brísingr

**NORWAY, 870 AD**

**FORNBURG**

“You _what?”_ Sigurd asked, his voice echoing throughout the longhouse.

Styrbjorn remained seated on his throne, hardly wavering in response to his son’s outburst.

“Was I not clear the first time? As I explained before, Sigurd, you are to be wed at the end of this week. As fruitful as your recent endeavors in Norway have been, they have also brought many troubles to our home. You have forged plenty of new friendships during your travels, and made equally as many foes. Your betrothed is the daughter of a chieftain whose clan would otherwise be our enemy if not for this marriage.”

Sigurd shook his head in disbelief. “And you did not think it wise to tell me this beforehand?”

“No, because I knew this was how you’d react. But I would ask that you have faith in me, son. This alliance iswhat’s best for our clan. It’s also what’s best for _you._ Randvi is a staunch woman known for her diplomacy and sense of honor. She has much experience as an advisor, and would make a good match for you, I think.”

_“You_ think,” Sigurd emphasized. “But what about what _I_ think? You have no idea what my interests are, nor what aspirations I have in mind. How could you _possibly_ decide who is best suited to be my spouse?”

Styrbjorn grew frustrated with his son’s defiance. “This is bigger than you, Sigurd. This is for the safety of our people. If we do not go through with this marriage, we risk open war with another clan.”

“Let them come!” The young man barked. “I will face this chieftain and his men as a true warrior. We will batter our shields in the name of Tyr, and defend our home with honor. But I will notbe handed over to him like... like a dog on a leash! I am better than that.” He threw a glare at his father. _“You_ are better than that. _”_

The king sighed in irritation. “What would _you_ do if you were in my position, Sigurd? Our clan has become the target of many chieftains throughout Norway thanks to _your_ ambitions, and whilst you sail the seas -- warring without care -- I am left here in Fornburg, doing everything I can to calm the sparks of a growing fire.”

Sigurd shook his head. “No, you are cowering in the shadows like a child. You are giving this clan everything they want, and allowing them to use you like a thrall. You wish to know what I would do if I were in your position? I would not give in to our enemies so easily. I would not yield the freedom of my own _son_ for an empty promise of peace. I would respond to their insults with the edge of an axe, and protect what is rightfully ours!”

Styrbjorn stood up from his throne. “You would throw away innocent lives for no other reason than to defend our pride! You are a strong warrior, Sigurd, but you are misguided in your wisdom. There is a time and place for war, and right now, we have neither the allies nor the resources to support our clan. This marriage is the only way forward.”

“I’ve never even met this woman before, father! Do you honestly expect me to give up my future, my freedom, my love... all for a complete stranger? Did you even take a moment to consider that perhaps, my heart was already with somebody else? I am not--”

“--Wait,” Styrbjorn blurted out, catching his son’s last words. “You are... in love with someone else?”

Sigurd came to a halt, suddenly realizing what he just said.

“I... I--” he stumbled over his thoughts, unsure of how to proceed. 

_Oh, shit._ What had he done?

How on earth was he supposed to explain to his father that he was in love with another man? A man who _also_ happened to be his adoptive brother? What would Styrbjorn even think?

It was a secret that Sigurd had kept to himself for many years from the people of Fornburg, and he certainly wasn’t ready to speak about it _now._ He was well aware of the stigmas that surrounded a relationship such as theirs, and now that he had accidentally given himself away, Sigurd fell into a state of panic, desperately looking for a way to crawl out of this hole.

“F-Father...” he stammered, “I... I don’t...”

“...Sigurd.” Styrbjorn said gently, pulling the boy from his thoughts. “Speak plainly to me, son. What’s going on? Are you with someone?”

The young man turned away in shame, still reluctant to open up. “...You wouldn’t understand.”

“Sigurd,” the king repeated more firmly. “This is important. Please, speak your mind.”

The prince shut his eyes in defeat and let out a sigh, bracing himself for Styrbjorn’s reaction.

“You want the truth? Fine. The truth is... I am already with someone else.”

The older man urged him to continue. “And? Go on. What’s her name?”

Sigurd gazed at his father with remorse, unable to even look him in the eye.

“They’re not a woman, father. They’re a man.” He lowered his head in guilt. “...And his name is Eivor.”

Styrbjorn fell silent at the statement and froze completely on the spot, staring at his son in bewilderment. Part of him was certain that he just misheard what Sigurd said, but the rest of him knew he spoke true.

He just didn’t want to believe it.

“You... _what?”_ Styrbjorn whispered in surprise. “You... you love _Eivor?”_

Sigurd felt his heart break at the obvious disgust in his father’s eyes and turned back around to face him, speaking more openly now.

“Yes, father. I have for many years.”

“But he is your _brother._ And another man, at that. Does that not bother you?”

“Eivor _is_ like family to me,” Sigurd explained, “but not in the way you think. Even after you adopted him, it was always difficult for me to see him as a sibling. Our friendship remained the same as it did before his parents were killed, and eventually, that friendship evolved into something deeper.”

Sigurd paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts. “...As for him being a man, no. That is not something unique to him. I have always felt this way towards other men, but...” his voice wavered slightly, “I never had the courage tell you. For obvious reasons.”

Styrbjorn took a step back and combed his fingers through his hair, trying to process everything he just heard. It was shocking enough already to discover that his son was solely attracted to men, but to learn that he had formed a romantic bond with the very same person he adopted all those years ago -- it hit him like a storm.

The last thing he wanted to do was force Sigurd to abandon someone he loved for the sake of a marriage he never asked for, but at the same time, Styrbjorn knew this was necessary in order to broker peace. 

Their clan was suffering. Between Kjotve’s attacks and Sigurd’s undying determination to fight back, their safety had already struggled enough. Plenty of their people had been killed, or enslaved, or worse -- and with no other option in sight, Styrbjorn truly believed this marriage was the best way to pacify the rising tension.

...But he could see that Sigurd wasn’t happy. There was a sense of betrayal etched into the boy’s face, and despite the fact that he had calmed down somewhat since his initial outburst, it was still evident that the man was unwilling to follow through with his father’s promises.

Sadly however, Styrbjorn wasn’t sure if he could back out of it now.

“Sigurd...” he murmured, “...if I had known...”

The young man’s expression remained sharp with anger. “Exactly. You _didn’t._ And you could’ve asked. But instead, you decided to hand my future over on a silver platter as if it were nothing more than a cup of mead.”

Sigurd walked away from Styrbjorn and began storming towards the longhouse’s doors, eager to put this conversation to an end.

“I don’t know what you told them, father, but I am _not_ marrying Randvi. This clan means the world to me, but Eivor means even more. That man is all I need right now, and I’m not giving him up. Not even for this.”

**~~~~~~~~~~**

**THAT NIGHT**

**THE SHIPYARD**

Scraping his knife against the wood, Sigurd mindlessly carved away at the log in his hands as he chipped it off bit by bit, forming an abstract figure in his palm.

At the moment, he was sitting on a bench nestled just by the harbor and spending the night alone with the solace of the sea, desperately hoping to find some way out of this impossible dilemma.

He hadn’t spoken to his father ever since their argument earlier in the day, and with no further updates from anyone at the court, Sigurd assumed that his pleas had fallen on deaf ears.

It was quite evident to him that Styrbjorn fully intended to go through with his plans for the marriage, and considering how close the wedding day was, Sigurd didn’t know if there was any time left for him to put this hurricane to an end.

Though, despite his reluctance to marry Randvi, Sigurd couldn’t help but wonder if he was just being selfish. This _was_ for the good of his clan after all, and if this alliance meant that they could start a new era of peace between both of their peoples, he wondered if perhaps, this was the wisest path forward.

At the same time however, he couldn’t deny that he felt somewhat betrayed. For all these years, Sigurd truly believed that his father wanted what was best for him. He always supported him in his ambitions -- no matter how demanding they may have been -- and never did anything to jeopardize his son’s well-being.

But after the events that transpired today, Sigurd questioned if everything in the past had been a lie. Did Styrbjorn ever really care about his future as a man, or what _he_ wanted in life? Or was he simply molding him into the king _he_ wanted, and allowing him to behave in manners that were solely beneficial for the crown?

He just didn’t know what to believe anymore. Part of him felt guilty for resisting his father’s plans in such a way, but the other half believed he was justified in his anger. This was _his_ future they were talking about; _his_ love life. He had no connection to this Randvi woman whatsoever, and if being with her meant giving up Eivor, Sigurd wanted nothing to do with this marriage. Even if it meant securing peace.

“Sigurd?” Someone said from the black of the night, causing Sigurd to halt.

He sighed in an irritated manner and dismissed the man’s calls, turning around to face him.

“If you’re here to convince me to go along with this ridiculous marriage, you can--” Sigurd fell silent upon seeing the other person’s face, suddenly realizing who it was.

“--Oh, Eivor.” He greeted. “Forgive me. I... I thought you were someone else.”

Eivor stepped next to his lover, gazing at him with an expression of defeat.

“...So, it’s true.” He whispered softly. “I heard rumors that your father was planning to forge a new alliance through marriage, and when he asked me to check up on you, I had a feeling I knew what was going on.”

Sigurd raised a brow in interest. _“He_ sent you here?”

“Yes. He approached me quite a few hours ago, actually. He didn’t tell me what was going on between you two, but he asked me to see how you were doing when I had the chance.” Eivor paused, taking on a gentler tone. “...Why do you seem so surprised?”

The older man let out a breath, setting the wooden figure down. “...Because he knows of our relationship. Did he not tell you?”

Eivor’s sorrow was instantly replaced with shock. “What? How? When did he find out?”

“We had an argument earlier today,” Sigurd explained. “When my father told me of this arranged marriage, I opposed him. I got carried away in my emotions, and accidentally let slip that you and I were involved. He did not say much in response, but I could tell he was disappointed. I’m... surprised that he would send you out of all people to console me. I thought he would be more antagonistic with you after our conversation.”

The blond man took a seat next to his partner. “Perhaps he is not as disappointed as you thought. Maybe he can see that there _is_ love between us.”

Sigurd scoffed. “Do not let this gesture fool you, Eivor. I know my father. He is merely trying to soften the blow of this ambush. Whether or not he believes you and I are truly in love is irrelevant. He won’t care. He will still force me to go through with this marriage.”

Eivor’s face dimmed. “There’s no way to sway his mind?”

“Not that I can see. Based on what he told me, it sounds like this wedding is already set in stone. It means nothing to him that I have no interest in women. It’s going to happen at the end of this week, and before I know it, I’ll be standing next to my new wife, forced to make merry with a clan that would wage war against us if not for this marriage. It’s pathetic.”

“So what do you suggest we do instead?”

Sigurd dragged a hand down his face, exhausted from the relentless thoughts wrestling in his head.

“I... don’t know, Eivor. I honestly don’t. This path that the Nornir have lain out before me is riddled with confusion. I do not wish to see more of our people suffer needlessly, but at the same time,” he turned to the other man, placing a delicate hand on his knee, “...I don’t want to lose _you_ either. I know we could technically continue our relationship even after I’ve been wed, but... would that not be unfair? To my wife _and_ to you?”

Eivor frowned, trying to keep himself together. “Of course, Sigurd. I love you, but I cannot ask you to commit adultery in my name. If this is the only way to ensure peace between our clans, then... I...” he trailed off into silence, heartbroken by this turn of events, “...I’ll have to let you go. You will need to devote yourself entirely to your wife, and out of honor, I cannot allow myself to become a distraction.”

Sigurd leaned closer to him. “But that’s not what I want, and that’s not what _you_ want either. I can tell. There is an unbreakable bond between us, Eivor -- a certain type of love that my father will never understand. I’m _not_ going to throw it away simply because he asks me to. You mean far too much to me.”

“But what else can we do?” He asked. “Your father is the _king._ To oppose him would be treason. And if you don’t go through with this marriage, your betrothed’s clan could declare war on us. Who knows what will happen then?”

Sigurd furrowed his brow in anger. “Forget about my father. For my entire life, that man has focused on nothing but training me like some sort of pet that he can command when he grows weak and old. But I’ve had enough. This time, it’s about _us._ We will follow the fate that the gods have woven _,_ and write our _own_ saga.”

Eivor picked up on his tone. “...Wait, are you saying that you--”

“--Run away with me, Eivor.” He proposed. “Let us leave this wretched place behind and live the way we were meant to. As lovers, as warriors, as poets. Let us live without shame, and break free from our bonds of secrecy.”

The younger man wasn’t convinced just yet. “But what about Fornburg? What about our family? Where would we even go? It’s difficult to survive in Norway without a clan, Sigurd. Especially when we have people like Kjotve hunting us down. How are we supposed to make this work?”

Sigurd gazed out at the fjord. “I don’t know, but I’m sure we will find a way. You and I are no strangers to the hostile waters in Norway. We will make do. We will survive. And if the need arises, we will go even _further_ beyond the horizon.”

“Sigurd, think about this,” Eivor reiterated. “If we leave, there will be no coming back. We’ll be labeled as traitors. I know Styrbjorn is your father, but as king, there’s only so much leniency he can show us. People could _die_ if we run away. Do you really think this is worth it?”

The other man remained staunch in his belief. “My father dragged _himself_ into this mess. He made promises on my behalf, and gambled based on the assumption that I would follow him without question. As far as I’m concerned, he can get himself _out_ of it.”

Eivor let out a deep sigh, unsure of what else to say. It was quite clear to him that Sigurd was still hurting from his father’s abrupt decision and acting out of impulse, but he would’ve been lying if he said he blamed the man.

No one in this world wanted their freedom to be taken away -- especially with something as life-changing as marriage -- and even though Sigurd had a reputation for being somewhat of a hothead at times, Eivor had to admit that his frustrations were not without reason in this case.

Eivor and Sigurd loved each other. They were practically two halves of the same soul at this point. And seeing as how Styrbjorn barely gave his son any time to react, it was understandable that Sigurd now held animosity towards him.

But... what if he was right? What if running away was the better option? They would no longer have to worry about judgement, or fear exposure. They could live on their own terms, and experience life the way _they_ wanted to.

Perhaps it was selfish to think in such a way, but Eivor couldn’t deny that it was tempting. He wanted nothing more than to be in a place where he could openly express his love for Sigurd, and not have to face the societal shame that came with it.

It was a dream of his nowadays, to live like that. He often found himself fantasizing about a world where such circumstances existed, and now that Sigurd was offering him the opportunity to seize it, he wondered if it was a sign from the gods that it was time to change course.

“Eivor?” Sigurd said, looking deeply into the man’s eyes. “Talk to me. Tell me what’s on your mind.”

Eivor returned his gaze with a tinge of worry, admittedly still hesitant to go with his partner’s plan.

“Sigurd... I love you, but I don’t know if I’m ready to leave yet. It’s just so sudden, and there’s so much I have to think about. I... you...”

“I understand, Eivor.” The older man said sincerely. “You need not say anything else. I realize this is a big decision, and you have your own affairs in Fornburg to consider. If you need more time to think about this, I can wait.”

Eivor smiled appreciatively at his lover. “Thank you, Sigurd. I _do_ want to live with you, but... with everything that’s at stake, I’m not sure how we’ll be able to do it.”

“Let _me_ worry about that,” Sigurd insisted. “You just focus on thinking about what you want to do. In the meantime, I’ll start preparing. I do not yet know what your decision will be, but if you decide to leave, I want to get out of here as soon as we can.”

“Alright,” the younger man agreed. “I’ll let you know what I choose before the week’s end. Until then...” Eivor rested a hand on Sigurd’s cheek, comforting him with his touch, “...please, be careful. There’s no telling what your father might do if he learns of our conversation.”

Sigurd gave him an assuring nod. “Have no fear, love. This stays between you and me.”

Taking Eivor’s hand into his grasp, Sigurd gently pulled the man closer and wrapped an arm around his waist, holding him in a secure embrace.

“...But enough about that.” He whispered affectionately. “Let us cast aside our worries for the night and discard all thoughts of the future. You’re the only thing that matters to me now.”

Sigurd pecked a kiss on his neck, nestling his head in the crook. “I want you.”

Eivor returned the gesture with a playful smirk and climbed on top of Sigurd’s lap, resting the bridge of his nose against his partner’s.

“Oh? Is that so?” He teased flirtatiously. “Then what are you waiting for?”

Leaning down, Eivor placed a loving kiss on the other man’s lips and held him close, melting into his arms as Sigurd slipped a hand underneath his tunic. 

The two of them were out in the open at the moment, and had little else aside from the darkness to conceal them from prying eyes, but it was clear that neither of them cared.

For now, they simply savored their solitude and enjoyed the warmth of each other’s company, allowing their fears to vanish into the night. It probably wasn’t the type of comfort Styrbjorn had had in mind when he asked Eivor to speak with his son, but it was where they had ended up.

And so, with another kiss on Eivor’s cheek, Sigurd locked his arms around the man and shamelessly welcomed his touch, letting his mind roam free for the time being.

He didn’t know if his partner planned on running away with him, or if he would find himself stuck in a new marriage by the end of the week, but despite whatever awaited him in the future, all Sigurd wanted for the moment was to feel Eivor’s touch one last time.

That man was the only thing he cared about. Ever since they were children, he always sensed a special connection between them and felt the need to guard Eivor’s life as if he were guarding his own. He never allowed anyone to bring harm to the man, and he certainly wasn’t going to start letting it happen now.

It mattered little to him what anyone else thought. Regardless of whether or not his father approved of their relationship, Sigurd knew deep down that Eivor was the one for him. He didn’t care if this ‘Randvi’ woman was truly as good as Styrbjorn made her out to be. He knew for a _fact_ that he would never find the same love he felt for Eivor with anyone else.

So, without another word said, Sigurd simply ignored his thoughts and showered the other man with love, hoping to bring him some sense of peace.

Eivor was the sole person fueling the fire that kept Sigurd sane in this frozen hell after all, and he refused to let him go without a fight.

He may not have been the ideal partner that his father had in mind, or the one Sigurd himself ever expected to be with, but he was the the only one that the young prince wanted. 

Eivor meant the world to him, and he would’ve sacrificed _anything_ to keep him.


End file.
